Sustainability and Conservation Leadership Interdisciplinary Minor

Hans-Peter Plag, Department of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Coordinator (hpplag@odu.edu)

The interdisciplinary minor in Conservation Leadership is offered by Old Dominion University in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as part of a long-term, sustainable program of conservation-related service-learning, internships and leadership programs. The minor will facilitate the development of the next generation of professionals who can address conservation issues and challenges posed by a changing climate and sea level rise.  A unique aspect of this interdisciplinary minor is the requirement to take one course that is designated as a service-learning (SL) course in which the student will work at a USFWS (or related) facility.

The interdisciplinary minor in Conservation Leadership requires 15 credit hours of 300/400-level courses selected from at least two different disciplines with a maximum of six credits from any one discipline.  There are two required, core courses and a required internship; a service-learning component is also required and is satisfied by IDS 467/BIOL 467/OEAS 467. The remaining six elective credits must be chosen from different disciplines. Three credit hours in the interdisciplinary minor may be in the major if a major course is listed as an option for the interdisciplinary minor. As such, it will be credited toward both the major and the interdisciplinary minor. Course substitutions may be approved by the interdisciplinary minor coordinator. 

For completion of the interdisciplinary minor, students must have a minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 2.00 in all courses specified as a requirement for the minor exclusive of lower-level courses and prerequisite courses.  At least six hours of 300/400 upper-level courses must be taken through courses offered by Old Dominion University. 

Course requirements and options are as follows.